It's Always the Alcohol
by LadyLuckRogue
Summary: One shot written for the birthday challenge on the google community Orange and Green. Zoro and Nami spend the evening on the ship drinking. What is it that changes between them or is it something that has been there all along?


Based on this picture here…just couldn't get the plot bunny out of my head: art/ Alcohol-is-always-alcohol-389498374

Written for Zoro's birthday challenge on the Google + community Orange and Green, come check it out.

_Also, thank you so much to A. Nony, for kicking me in the ass repeatedly to finish this, for giving me the motivation to do so and also to Flaming Poetic for listening to me ramble despite not being a One Piece fan :D You guys rock!_

Without further ado, happy belated Birthday Zoro :D

**WARNING: Contains adult content and language, all yee under 18, or those who don't like this sort of thing, go away or read at your own risk.**

Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to the great Oda-sama. Not mine sadly.

The island the Straw Hat crew had arrived at had not only proven itself to be a break from the monotony of life on board a ship, but a lucrative business opportunity as well. At least that is how the Navigator of the Thousand Sunny viewed it. Business, money to be made, perfect for the taking.

Nami had just made it back to the ship after winning a decent amount of money at cards at the local hole in the wall. Her head was pleasantly swimming from the tankards of rum she'd consumed during the game.

Quietly, she made her way to the galley, her heart set on finding the piece of chocolate caked Sanji had promised to save for her and Robin. She was sure it was still safe, secured behind the locked door of the fridge.

Nami was a little surprised to see the lights on and as she walked in, she saw Zoro seated at the table, finishing off his own snack, a half gone bottle of rum at his elbow.

She took in the scene, hands on her hips. Zoro sat there, shirtless in his usual dark pants and boots. The slight sheen of sweat told her he'd more than likely been working out, the slightly aggravated look he sent her way told her something was on his mind and her company hadn't been expected and wasn't necessarily welcome.

"How'd you get into the fridge?" Nami demanded.

Zoro slid his plate away from him, picking up the bottle and taking a swig, all the while giving her an indecipherable look. "Shit cook isn't as smart as he thinks he is at coming up with codes. Honestly I'm surprised Luffy hasn't figured it out by now."

Nami could only nod, making a mental note to bring it up with Sanji at a later time. He had a point. A glance to his empty plate, she noted the lack of chocolate cake crumbs in mild relief. He didn't like sweets usually but still, had he eaten the cake she'd been looking forward to, she would have raised his debt so high that his grandkids would still be paying it off.

She grabbed a plate and fork and made her way to the fridge, entering the code. Finding her prize, she flipped one of the pieces of cake onto her plate and made sure she shut and locked the fridge before taking a seat.

"You gonna drink that?" Nami asked, her hand reaching for the bottle. She frowned as his hand moved it out of her reach.

"I was planning on it, get your own."

Nami leveled him with a look of disbelief before getting to her feet with a huff and stomping over to the other side of the kitchen to grab another bottle.

"I share with you." She pointed out, taking her seat once more. "You usually share."

"Usually." Zoro agreed, with a slight smirk.

Nami stared at him, as she opened the bottle, taking a drink. Either he was being a pain in the ass on purpose or something was bothering him. Mentally, she shrugged, taking another drink.

"Rough day?" Nami inquired conversationally, picking up her fork.

"Something like that," Zoro agreed, sipping his drink, avoiding her gaze.

"Really? That's all you're going to say?" Nami couldn't help but ask, although she knew it was useless. Unless it involved the crew, he wouldn't say a thing. If it was personal, he would be more tightly closed off than a steel trap.

Zoro just gave her that infuriating smirk of his and she muttered under her breath, wondering why she even bothered. Though she supposed she did care, more than she was willing to admit, if she'd even bothered to ask him not once but twice. She shook the thought away and turned her attention back to her plate.

With the fork, she cut a piece of the cake and lifted it to her mouth, taking a bite. Her eyes closed in bliss at the chocolatety explosion of flavor. After a minute, she opened her eyes to find Zoro's dark gaze on hers, full of amusement and something else she dared not put a name to.

"What?" She asked, feeling a bit self conscious under his scrutiny. "Want a bite?"

Zoro shook his head, "No. I'm good."

Nami stuck her tongue out at him, trying to lighten the mood, "Fine. Be that way. You don't know what you're missing. It's better than sex."

Zoro nearly choked on his drink as he shot her an incredulous look. He seemed to be searching for the right words for a moment. "Apparently you haven't been doing it right."

Nami raised a brow at him, on the tip of her tongue to agree, to set that challenge in motion. She felt an almost unexpected tingling of desire at the thought. Hell, it wasn't unexpected, who was she kidding? Zoro had played a part in a number of fantasies she'd had since she'd known the man. What girl wouldn't find him hot? He was all raw power, muscle and danger. He oozed sex appeal. And yet they hadn't crossed that line. They were crewmates, nakama. Sure they cared for one another but that was normal right?

All things between them ended up a contest, a battle of wills, arguing, drinking, daily chores aboard the Sunny. Anything was fair game. This though? This was dangerous, un-treaded territory.

Nami chose to play it safe and merely shrugged.

Zoro's gaze on her was intense, before he glanced away.

An almost awkward silence fell over the room as Nami finished her cake and slid the plate away.

"Where is everyone?" Nami asked quietly, though she was curious. No one else seemed to be on board. Was it just her or did Zoro seem relieved by the change of topic?

"Brook went to some concert, I think Franky and Robin went with him. Luffy, Chopper and Usopp are at some World Championship eating contest—"

"Is there prize money involved?" Nami interrupted.

Zoro could almost see the beri signs in her eyes and shrugged. "Who knows? I'm guessing so."

"There better be." Nami stated matter of fact. "Where's Sanji?"

Zoro made a face. "Why? You miss him?"

"Geez, what is it with you two lately?" She said rhetorically, not expecting him to answer, even though they'd been at each other's throats more than usual as of late. "He's better company than you are right now, grumpy ass."

Zoro snorted, amused by her childish name calling, "Good one, witch. Seriously scathing." He said sarcastically as Nami stuck her tongue out at him. "I wouldn't hold your breath though. Shit cook ran into someone he knew from way back when, who's apparently opening some high end restaurant tonight. Knowing him, he'll end up in the kitchen stealing the show."

Nami nodded in agreement. That sounded like Sanji for sure. She opened her bottle, taking a drink. "Guess it's just us then huh?" She said. Zoro didn't respond as he took another drink. She watched him for a minute, trying to come up with something to say when her gaze went to the deck of cards on the table.

Her hand moved, grabbing the cards. "Want to play?" She asked.

"No." Zoro muttered. "I'll just end up owing you money."

"You're already in the hole as is, a little more won't matter. Besides, it's only cause I'm a better player." Nami scoffed, shuffling the cards.

"Yeah right. I've seen you cheat." Zoro shot back. Nami ignored him.

"Come on. You have something better to do?" She asked, her brow raised in challenge.

Zoro stared at her for a moment, as if he was going to turn her down and finally he sighed.

"I'm going to regret this." He muttered under his breath.

Three rounds of poker and another bottle between them later, and Zoro cursed as he laid his cards down.

Nami felt almost bad for a minute. She was cheating, he knew it and so did she as she fanned her cards out on the table in front of him.

"Read 'me and weep." She grinned gleefully. "That's another 10,000 berries you owe me there."

"Yeah whatever." Zoro muttered, as he ran a hand through his hair, trying to look anywhere but the woman in front of him as Nami jumped up, scooping up the poker chips. She watched him through her eyelashes as she made a show of counting the chips in front of her, watching as he rose to his feet.

He'd had fun, he'd been smiling and laughing, talking like it was any other time they'd sat drinking together. Now though, the storm clouds had rolled back over his expression as he rose to his feet.

"Going somewhere?" She couldn't help but ask. Zoro shot her a glance over his shoulder as he made his way across the kitchen. His usually graceful, powerful stride was a little dulled by the alcohol. She knew him well enough to notice the change, but she doubted anyone else would.

"Need another drink." He said. Nami made her way across the kitchen as well, glasses in hand, watching as he grabbed a bottle down and opened it, watching the smooth play of his muscles across his back and shoulders as he moved.

At some point she must have moved closer to him than intended, because when Zoro turned, bottle in hand, he seemed genuinely surprised that she was right there in front of him.

Noticing her error, she held the glasses up, as if to give explanation to why she was there, feeling a slight blush cross her face against her will.

Zoro seemed transfixed, staring at her, the intensity of his gaze, freezing her in her tracks as he took the glasses from her, setting them on the counter.

"What?" She asked suddenly, trying to break his gaze. "Do I have something on my face?."

The corner of Zoro's mouth quirked up as he reached a finger out, hovering over the corner of her mouth. "Looks like chocolate." He said, wiping the smudge.

Nami's hand caught his wrist, wondering if he was teasing her, seeing there was indeed a small smudge of chocolate on Zoro's finger, where he'd wiped it from her face.

Without thinking, acting on impulse, Nami drew his finger into her mouth, her tongue swiped over the digit, licking it clean, teasing it. She heard his sharp intake of breath, felt him draw closer.

Before she knew it, Zoro's hand withdrew and his mouth was on hers, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. She opened her mouth, feeling the sweep of his tongue over hers, igniting that slow burn all the way to her core. Their lips met in a flash of teeth and tongues. Her mind was hazy from lust and alcohol and it wasn't until her back touched the wooden surface of the table that she'd realized they'd moved, that she was laying against the table with Zoro over her.

She couldn't find it in her to push him away, though in the back of her head she realized there may be repercussions from this. His body against hers felt too good, the way his mouth felt on hers, his taste, his smell, she was too caught up in sensation to deny it, to deny the urges that surged through her. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her hips grinding against his, feeling his hardness between them, realizing he wanted this as much as her.

Nami's hands roamed over the hard plane of muscle that was his chest, feeling the scars under her hands, caressing his muscles, down over his abs, feeling his muscles tense under her touch.

Zoro's hands began to move too, the feel of his roughened calloused hands on her skin drawing a shudder of desire from her as they moved down her body. Her breath hitched as one squeezed her breast through the thin fabric of her bikini top, the other busy undoing the ties. As her top fell away, discarded off to the side of them on the table, she couldn't help but gasp as his mouth found her breast, moving over it, across her nipple, drawing the hardened peak into his mouth. Her hands found their way to his hair, gripping the short spikes, pulling lightly, earning a low rumble of pleasure from Zoro against her breast, sending another shiver of lust through her at the sensation. His mouth moved to her other breast, teasing it as well.

Nami pushed on his shoulders, sitting up as shoving him back slightly, his eye opening in surprise only to see her smirk at him as her hands traced the scar on his chest, all the way down to his hip, her hands dipping into his waistband, tugging him forward even as her hands started to work his pants down. Before she got a peek of too much more, Zoro turned the tables on her again, pressing her back onto the table, his mouth moving over her breast and lower this time, tracing the flat plane of her stomach, his breath hitting her belly button and causing a delicious shiver to go through her. His fingers traced her hipbones as he hooked his fingers into the elastic waistband of the skirt she wore as well as her panties. She panted, staring down at him, her gaze unfocused.

Stars nearly exploded behind her eyes as they rolled back. His mouth moved over her, his tongue moving across her most sensitive area causing her to arch off the table, gasping. Her one hand grasped out gripping onto his shoulder, while the other swung out wildly. Plates, bottles and silverware clattered off the table as she hit them, her mind reeling, uncaring of the racket or the mess she'd just made. And then his mouth was gone. She nearly cried out in frustration, her eyes opening only to see his face in front of hers, a wicked grin on his features.

Her heart pounded in anticipation of what he would do next, what that grin promised and she gave one of her own, feeling his body press against hers, warm and solid and very naked. She arched into him, moving her hips almost desperately, needing contact, trying to tug him down.

Nami felt him enter her, feeling that friction, the heat and pleasure as he filled her. She gasped, hearing his breathing hitch and the low groan from him as he buried himself.

They lay there, bodies joined as their gazes met. Something passed between them in that moment, something more than drunken lust, something neither wanted to admit had been there all along between them, something neither would be willing to admit even now. It remained unspoken between them.

Nami's legs wrapped around his hips as he started to move, sounds of enjoyment coming from her almost against her will. His hand reached to take hers, fingers intertwining and he grabbed her other one as well pressing them to the table above her head, causing her body to arch into his, chest to chest, hips to hips. His mouth came down on hers, swallowing her moan as she moved her hips in time with his.

She wasn't sure how long it lasted, her mind swept away in that drunken burn of ecstasy, his body moving in time with hers, doing things to her she'd never experienced. How was it possible that one man could bring out this much pleasure in her? Make her feel so damn good?

Her back arched as she felt a wave of pleasure go through her, sudden and powerful. Her eyes squeezed shut and she shuttered under him, around him. Her mind was swimming, washed away by the pleasure and just when she thought it couldn't continue it did. Her nails scrambled for purchase, finding his shoulders and she was almost sure she'd left marks. His pace was faster, his breathing heavy before he tensed above her, moving just a few more times.

Nami could feel the pleasure course through him, feel the warmth of his release inside her, his weight pressing her down, though not enough to crush her.

They lay there, trying to calm their pounding hearts and erratic breathing, before they finally looked at each other. It should have been awkward, hell, it had been awkward all evening, but suddenly, it wasn't. There was a strange sense of familiarity now as their eyes met.

"We should probably get dressed. The others could be back any minute now." Nami pointed out. "Plus you're supposed to be on watch. What will you do when shift change comes up?" She teased.

She saw the almost panic flash on his face for a moment before he remember she was actually his relief that night.

"Might stick around for a double shift then…" He said, almost non-chalant as he pulled back from her, stepping away to gather their clothes.

"Who says I want you around?" She demanded sitting up, even as her eyes roamed over him, taking in the sight of the parts of him she hadn't had the chance to look at earlier, her appreciation clear on her flushed features.

He smirked at her as he pulled on his pants. "Never hurts to have someone keep you company. Helps the time pass."

She stared at him for a moment, her hands working to tie her top, before she smiled. "I guess you're right." She practically purred. She grabbed a bottle of rum from the table, one with something still left in it.

"What are we waiting for then?"

It was later that night in the crow's nest, and Nami lay against Zoro panting, still feeling the aftershocks of pleasure going through her. His chest rose and fell rapidly underneath her and she could feel his heart pounding as well as hear it as she lay there.

Her head was still pleasantly buzzed, though not as much as earlier. I different feeling of intoxication flowed through her veins as she gazed down at the man under her, her hands resting on his chest supporting her chin as her eyes met his.

"I just realized something…" She said with a slight smile. "It's after midnight."

Zoro shrugged, tucking his hands behind his head almost lazily as he stared back at her. "So?"

Her smile spread, "You don't even know what day it is do you?"

His brow quirked, "So?" he repeated sounding a bit defensive.

She chuckled, moving off of him to reach over and snag the bottle off to the side of them. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he leaned up on his elbow, his eye trailed over her form as she took a drink.

"Happy birthday, moron."

Zoro blinked at her words, scowling at the insult thrown in there. "Nice Nami, real classy."

Nami shrugged, "If you wanted a classy lady, you shouldn't have jumped me. At least I remembered." This was what they did, they bickered, insulted and harassed each other, trying to one up the other, get under each other's skin. It was their thing, it was normal. Just because she'd figured out he had other talents didn't mean that would change.

He chuckled at her words as she passed him the bottle. "You know I'm not big on celebrating it. It's all of you that make a big deal out of it."

Nami looked at him a sly look on her face before leaned her head on Zoro's shoulder, a pout appearing on her lips. Her finger trailed down his chest, across his scar. "Oh, well…that's too bad." She said, in a mock sad voice. She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "I was planning on getting you a bottle of sake in town later, but if you don't want to celebrate, I won't bother." She sighed dramatically.

He eyed her suspiciously, almost wondering if there was a catch to her words and she smiled down at him.

"Sake sounds good. I'd settle for a repeat of earlier honestly." Zoro said after a minute, a small smile crossing his feature as his hand reached out, touching her hip.

Nami felt a rush of something, something she didn't want to put a name to at his words. He wanted this to not be a onetime thing huh? Why was that she was suddenly ok with that?

She raised a brow at him, "What, drink too much and fuck like rabbits on the dining room table?" She joked.

His face lit up with amusement as his hand found her cheek, pulling her toward him again. "Well, maybe not the dining room table..." He muttered against her lips.

They were so wrapped up in each other, in the heat of the moment that they almost missed the sound of footsteps moving across the deck, the opening of a door.

There was silence for a moment, just the sound of them moving before a voice cut through the quite air, an angry shout.

"What the fuck happened to my kitchen?!"

~THE END~


End file.
